


Just For A Few Minutes

by fencecollapsed



Series: Half-Infected Paul [3]
Category: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: F/M, Hospitals, Light Angst, Major Character Injury, Monologue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:42:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22611976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fencecollapsed/pseuds/fencecollapsed
Summary: Emma didn't typically find herself at a loss for words, but she was now. Something about the sight of his broken body just took everything out of her. He didn't even look alive, the only clue that there was anything in there at all was the slow beeping of the heart monitor.
Relationships: Paul Matthews/Emma Perkins
Series: Half-Infected Paul [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1718695
Comments: 6
Kudos: 119





	Just For A Few Minutes

**Author's Note:**

> can u tell I'm having trouble with the next chapter of Lovebirds

"I want to see him."

"Kelly,"

"Colonel. When I said I wasn't leaving without him, I meant it. But it's been well over a week and I'm fucking bored, I just… let me see him, please."

"It's been a slow-going process, Kelly, we don't even know how it's going to turn out for sure. Our doctors have never dealt with this kind of infection before, it's very trial and error."

"If anyone's hurting him I fucking swear-"

"He's fine, he's fine." Schaeffer held her hands up defensively. 

Emma crossed her arms. "Then why can't I see him?"

"Well…" Schaeffer rubbed her fingers over her forehead. "I suppose you  _ can.  _ He's been sedated while the doctors examine his blood samples. If you keep this under the radar I'll let you visit, just for a few minutes, but Kelly… bear in mind he isn't himself right now. What you see might be upsetting."

Emma nodded. "I understand."

Schaeffer sighed and beckoned for the shorter woman to follow her. "Alright, come on then."

"Thank you, Colonel."

\--

Emma didn't know what she'd expected, but it wasn't what she saw.

Paul was strapped down to his bed by the arms, legs, and chest. The bindings were frayed and noticeably worn. He'd been stripped of his suit and dressed in a hospital gown, so now Emma could see how broken he really was. He was covered in scrapes and burns - some red, most blue. His head lolled sideways on his pillow like his neck couldn't hold straight. His arm twisted wrong. He was stuck with IVs and hooked up to a heart monitor. Emma looked up at the machine. He had a pulse, but barely. It was agonizingly, terrifyingly slow.

She took a timid seat in the chair by his bedside. His scabbed hand lay palm-up on the mattress facing towards her. She probably wasn't supposed to touch him, but it was  _ right there,  _ like it was open for her. She glanced around - Colonel Schaeffer wasn't even supervising. She took Paul's hand in hers.

"You look like a fucking wreck, dude." She ribbed as if he could hear. It didn't lift the heaviness in the room like she thought it might. Her snarky smile faltered. "Sorry."

Emma didn't typically find herself at a loss for words, but she was now. Something about the sight of his broken body just took everything out of her. He didn't even look alive, the only clue that there was anything in there at all was the slow beeping of the heart monitor.

She had to say something. Even if he couldn't hear, she couldn't just sit there looking at him.

"You're… you're gonna be fine, okay, Paul?" She squeezed his hand. "You'll be just fine, and we're gonna walk out of here together and then we're never going back to Hatchetfield  _ or  _ Clivesdale again." She sniffed. "Not like we  _ could _ go back to Hatchetfield. Shithole's burned to the ground. I won't miss it, but… it is kind of sad. I know you liked it there."

She drew soft circles into the base of his palm with her thumb. His fingers twitched just slightly.

"Come on, give me a little more than that." Emma coaxed, but he remained still. She scrubbed her free hand down her face. "Figures. At this rate I'll have to drag your hospital bed to our movie date, huh?"

For a split second, she thought she saw a hint of a smile tug at Paul's lips. He could hear her, at least a little bit. She perked up.

"You didn't think I'd forgotten, did you? As God is my witness, Paul, I  _ will  _ take you to the movies. It's been a while since I've gone, though. I don't even know what's playing other than that  _ Hamilton _ adaptation which, fuck no, for obvious reasons."

Paul's exhale sounded kind of like a soft laugh. Emma smiled.

"Yeah, that show sucked anyway." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "It doesn't really matter what we see anyway, movie dates aren't about the movie. It's just an easy conversation topic. Or a dark place to make out if it ends up being boring."

Emma sort of felt like she was rambling now. It was easier to talk when her company at least appeared somewhat responsive. When she looked at Paul his rest seemed more peaceful than it had been at the start. The fingers of his hand had gradually closed around hers in a loose hold of its own and she hadn't even noticed.

"Anyway. Schaeffer's probably going to kick me out soon, I'm not even supposed to be in here."

In truth, Paul wasn't even supposed to be  _ alive.  _ Only a few very select people on this mission were aware he'd been infected, otherwise the only cure he'd be given would have been a bullet to the head.

Schaeffer was pulling a lot of strings to keep him safe.

Emma wasn't sure why, but the longer she sat at Paul's bedside holding his hand, the more grateful she was.

"I just miss you," she admitted softly. "I miss talking to you. It'll be nice, once you're cleared, when I can see you again."

_ And hold you, and kiss you, and maybe end up loving you. _

Paul's head turned on his pillow weakly, sinking deep into the down but facing her anyway. His eyes were still shut, but he was smiling softly right at her.

_ "Emma," _ The note of her name was muffled and quiet.  _ "Miss you, too…" _

"Paul…" Emma sniffled, dropping her head down on the mattress beside him.

She snapped back to straight posture when she heard the knock at the door.

"Kelly," Schaeffer said softly. "Let's let him sleep, hm?"

Emma nodded and gave Paul's hand another squeeze before getting up to join the Colonel at the door.

"Thank you again." Emma said, keeping her head down as they walked down the hall.

"Don't mention it."

She meant that literally.

She escorted Emma back to her quarters and was about to leave again when Emma stopped her.

"Colonel Schaeffer?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for  _ everything.  _ Paul-  _ Ben  _ and I owe you a lot."

"Just doing my General proud, Kelly." Schaeffer smiled just a little. "He's a brave one, that Ben of yours. There's a fight in him. He'll pull through. From what I hear… some things are worth it."

Schaeffer gave a wink before turning and disappearing down the hall.

Emma just watched her go, bewildered.  _ What is it with her and the winks? _

**Author's Note:**

> Colonel Schaeffer for number one paulkins advocate
> 
> thanks for reading! <3


End file.
